Doggie gifts

[Beforetheend]

I’m looking for ideas for Christmas presents for dogs. I have a couple of friends whose main emotional relationship is with their dog and I want to include them.

if you’re a dog owner what do you appreciate? And what makes your heart sink?

I'm not a dog owner but I did notice that Matalan has a pets range (including Christmas themed toys etc). You can get some items personalised too.
https://www.matalan.co.uk/homeware/pets/accessories.list

Or, what about a voucher for a local pet store or groomer (if you know which one they prefer to use).

I wouldn't buy food treats, unless you know specifically what they're allowed to have. MIL used to buy doggy stockings with loads of junk in that they weren't allowed to eat.

Do you know what sort of toys they like/if any of them are toy shredders? Kong toys tend to be decent quality. TK maxx usually have a good selection.

That's a really lovely idea. I guess it would be very personal to the dog and the owner - some dogs will want a new toy, others will want treats.

What about making a "non-snap" cracker for the dog (out of parcel paper - no glitter or bits to choke on) and put some fun items in there. Things like dried pigs ears, balls, squeeky toys would work. Then they have the fun of unwrapping the present as well as what ever is inside. Don't use sellotape on it - just fold it together.

Looking forward to seeing some other suggestions.

What a lovely thought! My dogs are a massive part of my life, and I love getting presents for them! Depends what sort of things your friends like of course, and your budget! Things like drying coats ('Ruff and Tumble' brand are good) for after wet walks, or Barking Bags for carrying stuff on walks? If they have a regular groomer, then vouchers for them may be good (they may not want to use a different one so wouldn't just pick a random groomers). There are online trick-training sessions (e.g. Trickstars University), which are great if you think they may like to teach their dog some new stuff?

I buy a doggie toy and some good quality biscuit treats .

Love these suggestions. Thank you!

Our chocolate lab adores cuddly toys. We wrap them up in christmas paper and he rips the paper off himself. Amazon here I come.

Mine loves any ball and Nina Ottoson dog puzzles.
He also likes to help everyone unwrap their presents so maybe lots of wrapped empty boxes 🤣

That’s a lovely idea. My girl got loads of presents last year….a raincoat, some balls, treats, a hoodie with her name on the back, and some squeaky toys. All were greatly appreciated!

Toys are probably the best bet as even the gentlest dogs will kill squeakers/nibble ears off over time.

A voucher for a trip to a nearby dog field might be an unexpected but very appreciated gift.

Food is a no-go for me as any change to diet can causes a reaction for mine.

My MIL bought us a dog water bottle (it has a drinking bowl segment attached) and that has been useful for car journeys. Things like dog-poo pouches are just clutter, I just carry my bag til I hit a bin!

A dog-related gift I love are those inkless print kits so you can do pawprints. My partner also bought a necklace from etsy that has my dog's pawprint engraved on it - all you need is a photo of the paw, if you can sneakily take one without your friend noticing.

A voucher for a doggy field is the best thing anyone could buy for our dog.. he has allergies so can't eat most dog treats, and anything with a squeaker will be destroyed very quickly!!

I always buy my boy a new ball, a bamboo bone, gravy bones and some of his favourite treats.
Although last year I got him a new dog bed too and he was over the moon with it.

I can't remember the name of the company (it must be googleable!) where I bought a Where's (name of dog)? book. They are based on the Where's Wally?
children's books, but the title is the name of your dog, and he is then hidden on every page. I hope that makes sense! More for the owner than the dog itself, but the ones I bought were very well received.
Could also get a new dog coat, if they wear them.

We always get loads of dog treats that I wouldn’t feed my dog, so I give them to charity or in donation boxes normally in the hopes a dog with a less delicate stomach can enjoy them, but they’re a waste of a gift for us. I also hate toys that I know my dog will destroy in 5 seconds and will just give me a cleaning job to do and worry about him accidentally eating bits.

you could do a little hamper of good quality treats, and cheap but useful things like poo bags (not the holders though!). Or just a packet of good treats would be nice if you know what the dig can eat.

i got someone a set where you can bake dog treats and it came with little bone shaped cookie cutters, that seemed to go down well
lilys kitchen also do a recipe book for dogs, if owners like cooking or baking it could be a nice idea

I think @BookishFran s ideas about the prints and necklace is great too

I'd stay away from food.
Our latest pup can't have anything with poultry and we find most treats have to be 100% something. Ie 100% beef only.

Kongs, snuffle mats, rope toys are a big hit for us. Standard Tennis balls are something we stay clear of as they last less then a day before in pieces across my downstairs.

We intend to buy a dryrobe for our puppy this year.

Our dog enjoys any treats, and likes traditional bones. He doesn't really have toys for the house, but does like balls - but the best toy we have for him I got almost by chance in a big Christmas gift pack I got him last year (it had new bowls in it and various things) - it's a bright orange fabric hexagon that floats! So he can retrieve it from the sea. Loves it on holiday.

As you can see from this thread, all dogs have there own preference for toys/gifts. I guess it you could be bothered you could research by observing what your friends' give their dogs to treat them/play with. Or ask a few searching questions? That would be really sweet.

If you don't have time or opportunity, a gift card is a great idea - I got one once for my dog and it was brilliant choosing stuff!